Geddy Lee Says Rush Have ‘Zero Plans to Tour Again’

When Rush concluded their 40th anniversary tour at the Forum in Los Angeles in August of 2015, frontman Geddy Lee told the capacity crowd, “Thank you Los Angeles for 40 amazing years. I do hope we meet again sometime.” That was Rush’s last performance and sadly, it will likely remain the power trio’s final bow.

In an interview with Rolling Stone, bassist and vocalist Geddy Lee says the band has no plans to tour again. He opens up, “I can’t really tell you much other than that there are zero plans to tour again.” Lee adds, “We’re very close and talk all the time, but we don’t talk about work. We’re friends, and we talk about life as friends. I can’t really tell you more than that, I’m afraid. I would say there’s no chance of seeing Rush on tour again as Alex (Lifeson), Geddy, Neil (Peart). But would you see one of us or two of us or three of us? That’s possible.”

Drummer Neil Peart, who is widely acclaimed as one of the greatest drummers in rock history, suffers from chronic tendinitis and at age 66 doesn’t have much interest in full-scale touring. Guitarist Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee said in the past that they will not tour as Rush “unless all three members agree to take part.”

Lee says that he is beginning to think about working on a solo album. He released his first and only solo effort My Favorite Headache back in 2000, which features Pearl Jam and former Soundgarden drummer Matt Cameron. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer says, “I think once the dust settles… I’ll probably find myself bored and wandering down to the studio to try to enliven my own life, and if something of a positive nature happens down there, I’ll take it to the next step. But beyond that, I could only guess.”

The Rolling Stone interview focuses on Rush’s 1978 album Hemispheres, which is being re-released as an expanded edition to celebrate the effort’s 40th anniversary. The album features four tracks, including “Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres,” an 18-minute opus -- that is the sequel to “Book 1: The Voyage” -- featured on the band’s previous album A Farewell to Kings. The effort also boasts fan favorites “The Trees” and the epic instrumental “La Villa Strangiato,” which is subtitled “An exercise in self-indulgence.”

The 40th Anniversary edition of Hemispheres will arrive on November 16. Fans can pre-order the effort in various bundles here.

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